In Korea, musical is booming lately, so many domestic and foregin musical productions are performing now. However, most of the hit musicals are big foregin works. For example, most seats of Jekyll and Hyde were sold out when it performed first in Korea and Aida is gaining public favor, besides, two actress were received a trophy in Korea Musical Award last year. Also, I Love You which is still performing now since 2005 and Hedwig And The Angry Inch win popularity although they were perfomed in little theater. Each of four works above has glamour story and many exciting songs. In this situation, Yoduk Story‘s coming is very strange.

Do you know what Yoduk is? Yoduk is the town of North Korea and gulag for inmates who tried to escape from North Korea or were doubted as political criminal is in Yoduk. In other words, Musical Yoduk Story is about the prison camps of North Korea. In that place, execution and brutal violence like cutting a hand or rape are happened continually.  This shocking events show on the stage realistically. For this reason, Yoduk Story was menaced by some people who didn’t want to this musical attract attention of the world.

Jung Sung San who make this musical is defector from North Korea. His father was died  in Yoduk prison. The death was miserable because it was open execution. Jung Sung San heard his father’s death in Seoul, so he decided to make a story about human rights abuses in North Korea. He hope to this story awake apathy about wretched people in North Korea. In fact, the press of Japan and U.S.A  is concerned about Yoduk Story performing in South Korea.